


Maimed Hearts

by TheWickedWitchy



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, M/M, Mild Language, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Spoilers, Thor 2 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-10
Updated: 2013-11-21
Packaged: 2018-01-01 02:59:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1039548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWickedWitchy/pseuds/TheWickedWitchy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt from shadowkai45<br/>"Thor is super wrecked after the events of Thor 2 and the avengers don’t know what’s up but the find out eventually and help him start to feel better"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This started out as a small thing and now it got away from me oO  
> I don't know how long it will be or where it will end to be honest.  
> Warning: may contain Thor 2 spoilers ye be warned and proceed with caution  
> (un-beta'd because I'm impatient so bare with me as I discover mistakes and fix them)

The cold grey cell-like room did not have a calming effect on Tony at all. Steve was pretty sure they were brought here for several reasons. One of them was that, in here, it would be much harder for Tony to call his suit to him. Another was that they probably expected the Captain and Stark to do some damage. That’s why they were both in here now, in the largest interrogation room where everything was bolted to the floor; everything being two chairs and a large table. He had to admire Fury a little for being so insightful.  


Tony didn’t admire Fury for anything at all at this moment. Instead he threw his empty plastic coffee cup at the stoic looking man and continued the verbal abuse that was lasting for a good five minutes already:

‘ It was a stupid fucking call and you know it! Don’t you dare sit there and tell me your hands were tied! I swear to God I will blast that last eye of yours so help me-‘ 

‘ Do NOT pin this on me Stark, you know how things work and this was not OUR problem! ‘

The comment made Tony turn a slight purple and Steve felt the anger boil up in his own veins.

‘ They made it our problem! The minute that ship dropped and tore up half of Greenwich it became our problem! You should have fucking assembled and you know it! ‘

Fury shot from his chair this time, within two steps he was facing the raging face of Tony Stark and Steve’s natural instinct was to move forward, ready to separate the two at any moment. The only reason why he didn’t intervene, why he didn’t drag Fury all around the room was that they needed answers. A beat up Fury would not provide those and Steve was unsure if he could constrain himself long enough to not actually kill him.

Tony was fuming and the tension in the air doubled when he moved dangerously close into Fury’s face. He was taunting him Steve knew, looking for a reason to throw the first punch.  
Instead Fury sighed and moved away, slowly stepping back to his previous seat where he resumed his position on the hard metal chair.

‘ The situation is now under control ‘ and Tony scoffed loudly at the remark.

‘ The casualties were minimal ‘ Fury continued and now moved his gaze to Steve ‘ and as far as we know everything is calm now. ‘

Steve had about a million thoughts tumbling over in his head, most of which contained cursing and more questions. None of this felt right, or real, or just for that matter but he was torn between acting on his emotions and feeling like he needed to keep himself calm for the sake of his own sanity.

Somewhere on his left something buzzed in Tony’s pocket. It made Fury raise an eyebrow but Tony ignored it and instead turned to the Captain.

‘ We’re done here ‘ he grunted more to Fury than Steve and he beckoned the super soldier to follow him.

Once outside, nodding politely to agents and guards, they moved with quick steps towards the elevator. Steve noticed the nervous twitch in Tony’s jaw but before he could open his mouth to ask anything the billionaire reached in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He pushed one of the buttons: 

‘ Talk to me buddy.’

‘ Sir, I have performed the scanning sequence you requested and there is an anomaly just outside of Boston.’

If Steve didn’t know any better he could have sworn there was a hint of worry in Jarvis’ metallic voice.

‘ Excellent. Did you contact the others? ‘

‘ Yes Sir ‘ the A.I confirmed. ‘ I have sent the jet for Miss Romanov and Mr. Barton but I have trouble locating Mr. Banner.’

The elevator doors opened and they found themselves in the vast lobby of S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters, suddenly blinded by the sunlight through the tall windows. They moved at a rapid pace towards the exit and as Steve shot Tony quizzical looks Tony was busy typing something on the keyboard of his phone.

‘ I have sent you some coordinates Jarvis, just transmit a radio message ‘ Tony mumbled ‘ He will hear it.’

Outside the weather was pleasant and warm, with just a few minor gushes of wind. 

‘ Tony, what is ha-‘

‘ I’ll explain later Cap, we need to get our fine asses to Boston. ‘

*  
 _What troubles you gatekeeper? What do you see?_

_I see a throne without a new king. I do not question your loyalty to Asgard, but I question the strength of your heart. You are troubled Thor and nowhere in the Nine Realms will you find peace unless you face your pain._

_There is only one place where I can face it Heimdall..._

_I will not stand in your way, you know this._

_Then let me try and find my way, old friend.._

*

The Boston area was not as calm as their previous location. Just outside of the city, on a large open field the winds were howling and the jet had to land at a long distance from what seemed to be the eye of a starting small tornado. Mist and clouds had dropped from the heavens and were pulled and twisted into thick spirals, hovering and menacing just above ground. The air was filled with electricity, it crackled and buzzed over the deafening sound of the wind. Steve watched it with a growing sense of panic and next to him Clint looked just as alarmed.

‘ This is not good Cap ‘ the sound of his voice loud and evidently shaky.

It was an understatement at its finest, from the looks of it something that would be a mix of a thunder storm with a hurricane was being created in front for their very eyes. 

‘ It was never like this before ‘ Steve mumbled, not even trying to make himself heard.

On his right Natasha was eyeing the scenery with a worried look, somewhere in his ear Tony’s voice was audible.

‘ Any minute now, just stay put. We don’t need anyone sucked into that mess.’

Anxiety was flooding Steve at unsteady intervals and he found himself panting because of it.

Then, a bright burst of light made them all jump back a little. The cylinder of flashing lightning, colors and electricity touched the ground and after a few seconds it disappeared, leaving behind a calmness on the field and scorched earth.  
Thor stood quite tall, as always , in the center of the rune markings and his hair, messy and braided, was still falling down from the wind. He looked disoriented for a bit but as he turned his head he noticed them, relief washing over his face. 

In unison they ran forward, Steve at dizzying speed, and within moments they were surrounding the demigod, as cautious as they were excited. He smiled a broad smile, and even though it was as insincere as never before Steve couldn’t help but return it. 

‘ Good to see you big guy ‘ and Tony hugged the large blond with a dramatic and exaggerated gesture. 

Natasha briefly held his face in her hands before offering him a small smile and doing the same, her small frame in stark contrast with Thor’s muscular over-sized body.  
As Clint patted Thor on the back and Bruce finished his warm embrace Steve watched Thor take it all in, still slightly dazed but clearly delighted to see them. 

‘ My friends..’ he whispered and Steve was shocked at the frailness in his voice.

He finally stepped forward and their eyes locked, not saying a word. There was much that they needed to discuss, many things to talk about but for now Steve decided there was only one thing he wanted to do. He wrapped his arms around his friend and squeezed with all his might, enveloped by steel armor and warm flesh as Thor returned the embrace.  
When they broke apart Thor was nodding in approval:

‘ Your strength remains impressive Captain ‘ and the comment was so warm that Steve was taken aback. 

They started their journey back to the jet, all much calmer this time and Steve observed as Natasha squeezed Thor’s arm for a moment.

 _It was never like this before,_ Steve thought again, the sentence mulling through his head like a boulder. They were worried and scared for Thor, and clearly for good reason. Without revealing how he exactly knew all this Tony had very quickly briefed them on the way over to Boston and the impact of it all was visible in Clint’s thoughtful expression, Bruce’s continuous and careful polishing of his glasses and Tony’s unusual silence. Steve had tried to imagine Asgard in ruins, tried to picture Thor’s face as he held his brother, tried to envision Frigga on the marble floor. It was unbearable to even think about.

More than anything the events were evident in Thor, as he walked before him, shoulders slightly slumped and the weight of it all clearly pressing on him. The regal stature was gone, the spine no longer rigid and straight, the head slumping on his chest. 

_He looks broken._

As Steve tried to push the thought from his mind around them the wind picked up again. Slowly but steadily they felt the pushing and pulling of the air on their bodies and with every step it increased in strength. Steve stared at Thor, the anxiety returned and his skin began to prickle. Right before the first lightning bolt touched the ground next to him he surged forward, but it was too late. 

Thor collapsed and landed on his knees, around them the wind picked up speed again and the howling grew louder.

*

Fear took over as Steve moved as fast as he could and he dropped himself in front of the demigod, grabbing the broad shoulders. He could feel the wind swipe and pull at him, but Steve only had eyes for his friends face and the tortured expression on it. It took him a second to realize what was happening and he shot a warning look at Natasha who was holding onto Thor’s right arm.

‘ Nat! NAT! You have to go! ‘

The thunder burst right above them with a deafening crack and the winds started to swipe in circular motions. Steve could see Tony pushing forward towards them, body bent against the force and both Bruce and Clint tried to keep their balance, looking down with horrified expressions. 

‘ Clint you have to get out of here, NOW! Tony! ‘ Steve shouted.

They both nodded in agreement and managed to move slowly forward, Natasha reluctantly let go of Thor’s arm before she crawled away from them. When they were clearly out of the worst area Steve turned to Bruce who had managed to drop beside him, taking Natasha’s place.

‘ Help me..’ he pleaded and as always, Bruce understood.

Steve watched the soft features of Bruce’s fade twist and disappear, the familiar green washed over the pale skin and the clothes ripped. Within moments the Hulk was behind Thor, countering the weight and strength of the hurricane , keeping Thor and Steve in place in a bizarre embrace. 

The air pounded on them as Steve managed to scoot forward, he placed both hands in the curve of Thor’s neck, his thumbs practically crushing the demigod’s jaw.

‘ THOR! THOR, LOOK AT ME! ‘ his voice sounded feeble in the roaring thunder but he was screaming regardless.

It took a moment but finally Thor opened his eyes, and that piercing blue, usually so full of life and bursting with joy had turned cold and misty. They were teary and the first drops were already being swiped sideways into the creases of the skin. The pain in them was so overwhelmingly visible that Steve couldn’t help but gasp. Thor’s mouth was a twisted thin line and under his thumbs Steve felt the teeth gritting. He moved closer still, encouraged by gigantic green hands that held their firm grip on his back. Lightning bolts were hitting random spots on the floor around them and the air was thick with the scent of burned grass and scorched sand.

‘ Thor..please… listen to me! Listen to me! You need to focus on my voice ok? ‘

He was aware of how desperate he sounded but he didn’t care. Steve could only hold on tight, his eyes darting over the face of his friend, pleading with both looks and words.

‘ I can’t ..’ Thor sobbed and the tears started to flow in earnest, the thunder roared even louder, his body shuddered from grief.

‘ Yes you can! Listen to my voice, concentrate! We are here with you and we’re not going anywhere, understand? We’re here Thor! Please! Breathe buddy, breathe! ‘

Steve felt the Hulk pull them in tighter and found himself so close to Thor their foreheads touched. He focused on Thor’s eyes and kept going, not knowing what to say but hoping it would be enough.

_Breathe buddy, breathe…_

_Everything will be ok just try, try and focus…_

_Stay with us, please…_

For some agonizing few minutes there was no change and just when Steve thought it was no use the wind slowed down. He didn’t know how long they had been there but by the time Thor closed his eyes the air was cool but quite still. The thunder had moved on, feebly rumbled in the distance and instead of lightning raindrops were hitting the floor. The gigantic hands on his back were gone and Bruce’s sweaty face peered gingerly over Thor’s shoulder, clearly distraught. 

Steve didn’t know what to do or say so he stayed there, his hands still on Thor’s neck, worried about what could be next. There was only rain, and suddenly Thor’s arms wrapped around him and pulled him closer. When Steve completely enveloped the demigod with his arms a long a wail escaped from Thor’s lips. It transformed into harsh sobs and Steve’s heart broke as his friend came apart in his arms.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not as exciting as I hoped but I think it's taking shape now and I may or may not know where this is going to end.. maybe.  
> ( I worry about my Tony's voice but I decided to face my fears )

Not a word was spoken on the flight, neither of them felt the need to ask questions or debate what just happened; they got into the cars without discussing what to do next and by the time Stark Tower came into sight it was clear that there was a silent agreement among all of them to stick together. There was no chatting or mindless small talk, it was a seamless walk to the common area where some of their luggage was already waiting. Nobody worried or questioned it when Bruce excused himself first, they knew of his need for privacy after the other guy paid a visit, respected his wish for some alone time.

Natasha busied herself with a routine check of her bag, not losing Thor out of her sight. He walked steadier on his feet but was horribly pale; Mjölnir was not casually swinging by his side but remained clutched in his hand, the knuckles as white as the demigods face. He accepted an offered towel with a curt nod and sat down on the black couch, rubbing his head with mindless motions.

The rain had followed them into New York and was now a constant stream against the windows, obscuring the beautiful view. After today it was painfully obvious it had followed Thor in particular and the thought twisted at her insides. She could deal with punches, stabbing , bullets, and apparently aliens, but a looming disaster of this size was another ball game entirely. Clint shared her sentiment, from across the room he spoke to her without words, his eyes telling and clear to her as his voice would have been. _Definitely something we are not trained for,_ they said and she agreed now more than ever.

The captain was pulling mugs from the cabinets, she watched him throw glances at Thor while he looked for the coffee and it struck her how clearly upset he was, hands shaking as he spilled some sugar from the small bowl. His face was a mask of resolve and neutrality but his eyes and the stiff jaw gave him away. When she moved closer to help him she noticed the bruising on the palms of his hands. He caught her staring and shrugged, desperately preoccupied with the coffeemaker.

‘ It’s good to be back ‘ and she meant every word of it, hoped it would calm his nerves.

Steve hummed and nodded while pushing the buttons on the machine; he carefully positioned himself against the bar after the familiar bubbling sounds of boiling water started. When he turned Natasha got a clear view of his broad back, small bits of his suit were torn where the Hulk had held on to him and the skin below was a greenish purple, already fading away. 

‘ Are you ok? ‘

‘ Yeah I’m fine ..’ he replied softly, a small smile appeared and vanished immediately. 

Something clicked in her head, a tiny pang of realization as she watched his eyes dart from what he was doing back the blond on the couch. She had seen that look before, his brows were furrowed and the blue eyes, hazed with fear, eventually fixed themselves on Thor. It was the same look Clint had given her a hundred times over, when he thought she had died or was on her way to do so, the look that only appears when the fear of losing someone you cared for threatened to devastate you. No, not cared for, she thought. _Loved._

In any other situation she would have cursed herself for not seeing it sooner but now, as the night grew darker and the heavy rain reduced to a soft drizzle, she cut herself some slack. It did not matter. What mattered was that they were here now, as close to safe as they could be. She rubbed the palm of her hand on the hard shoulder blade next to her and when Steve looked at her again she smiled warmly.

‘ We will figure it out ‘ she assured him, eliciting another small hum from the soldier. He looked grateful and it was more than she could have hoped for.

*

‘ Why didn’t you tell us ? ‘

Somewhere close to midnight Natasha was debating whether to stay in the doorway or walk right into the enormous living room where Tony was hiding in the comforts of his lazy chair. It was not in its usual spot by the fire place but was moved towards the shadows in the corner of the window; the New York skyline was reflected in the small water drops all over the glass and for a stranger it would have been breath taking. The city by night looked positively magical, the barely there soft patting of the rain was strangely soothing. For her it felt odd to be there again, attachment to a certain place was unfamiliar to her but the several months on the road had not wiped the sight from her memory.

Only Tony’s feet could be seen from where she stood, sticking out from behind the high arm rests. The rest of him came in view when she finally decided not to have this conversation in such an impersonal way and she took a few steps, the sound of her heels bounced off the walls until she reached the soft mat.

He was splayed on the chair as if dropped from the ceiling, his right hand firmly holding what appeared a glass of scotch, the other held an ice pack to his forehead. She could see him peering at her from under the blue frozen patch but when she raised one eyebrow he closed his eyes.

‘ I did tell you ‘ he punctuated the sentence with a swig from his drink.

‘ You know what I mean Tony.’

Of course he didn’t answer, instead Tony merely grunted, seemingly determined to ignore her. He should know better to think it would work but she remained silent for the next few minutes to at least give him the idea that it was effective. The scotch slowly disappeared from the glass as Tony sipped the last of it and without a second thought she moved towards him and took it from his hand. Finally he acknowledged her presence again by scowling at her and he flipped the ice pack over as she walked away to refill it at the bar. 

‘ What’s with the pack anyway? ‘ she asked, chucking two ice cubes in the glass and scanning the walls for a bottle.

‘ I’m nursing tomorrows hang-over, thought I’d get a head start ‘ he mumbled, eyes focused on the window.

‘ With more drinking ?’

Her smirk was audible in the question and Tony huffed loudly in response.

She knew he could be tough cookie to crack sometimes and evidently this was one of those rare moments that Stark had decided to pull up a wall of silence. There was a time Natasha had wished he would shut up but after today she decided that it was the lesser of two evils. He accepted the new drink without looking up at her, his expression a mix of pain and annoyance.

‘ What happened today Tony? ‘ and she hoped her voice didn’t sound too soft, too delicate.

He threw the ice pack on the floor and sighed, giving up his resolve it seemed and even tried to sit up straight. 

‘ I’ll be damned if I know. ‘

She watched him closely as he finally got up, wincing at the movement.

‘ You knew he would come back ‘ she offered and kept her questioning gaze on him.

‘ Yeah, well.. it seems I was a tad uninformed what that would entail, exactly..’ and he wobbled towards the window. He came to a swaying stop next to her and uttered a deep sigh.

‘ Look, I know what you’re thinking ‘ and he snorted at her exasperated posture.

‘ But truth be told I expected him to be pissed off. And yes ‘ he waved his glass around in admittance ‘ I knew there may be some disturbances in the weather. My .. source.. mentioned that was a possibility. But this, yah.. kinda unexpected I must say.’

She waited for him to continue and Tony managed to stand still for a little while before he moved again, balance slightly off when he walked away. Not in the mood to press on and suddenly feeling tired she decided to turn in. But right when she started to stepped away from the window Tony stopped and turned around, pointed with an unsteady finger to the window.

‘ The rain stopped ‘ he mumbled.

The patting was gone and the small drops on the window were now sliding down, leaving silver tracks on the black glass. Natasha felt a slight relief, allowing it to warm her for a little bit before she left.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OT6, forever and always <3

The first rays of dawn were weak and there were still large clouds; the city that never sleeps held its beauty regardless, the streets growing more crowded than they were during the night. The noise of traffic and people lost some of its strength as it rose up towards the top floors of Stark Tower but was still audible, the comforting sound that the world remained in motion.

Steve warmed his hands around a mug of freshly brewed coffee, taking in the tall buildings in the skyline, his nose filled with the scent of the city. He felt the cold that was inevitable at this height, loving the refreshing chill on his face. Steve had to wonder if the upper levels were increased in size during the rebuild, somehow everything seemed taller, higher, and more sturdier. The thought that Tony Stark, for all his brash and brawny attitude, clearly had considered them when designing the new and improved Tower warmed him a little from the cold. He could picture Tony clearly in his mind while he argued with Pepper about the size of the gym, or the bar, or their beds. Last night, instead of their former rather boring sleeping quarters, they all were guided by Jarvis’ voice to roomy studios spread over the top two floors. 

The captain couldn’t help but be impressed at the bedroom and en suite baths, the comfortable seating areas and the stylish modern decorating that was clearly Pepper’s doing. He hoped her good taste would rub off on Tony, eventually, although by the looks of the flashy towels in the bathroom that time would not be soon.  


A soft rustle behind him indicated that Thor had turned in his bed, the expensive sheets fluttered around his solid limbs. He didn’t wake but had simply moved his head towards the window, face buried in the luscious pillow. It took a while before Steve realized he was staring at the vast expanse of Thor’s back and the curled arm sticking out from under the grey bedding. Thor looked peaceful, dark blond lashes resting on cheeks that had regained some color.

He reluctantly turned away from the sight, focused again on the erratic movements of the pedestrians below.

*

They had managed to make the night somewhat enjoyable; after the initial solemn cups of coffee and a generous serving of omelettes and bacon their spirits were lifted, opening them up about the past months. When the bottles of vodka and gin were pulled out Tony insisted they celebrate their reunion, serving them all copious amounts in over-sized glasses. Steve had to admit it did help; Clint reverted back to his usual witty self and talked vividly about a weird bar he visited somewhere in the depths of Spain, Natasha conveniently adding the details he clearly avoided mentioning. Eventually Tony had showed them holograms of some of the things he was working on, putting emphasis on how ‘top secret’ it was and joking about confidentiality agreements they all would have to sign.

Thor had smiled at it all, a weary one but a smile nonetheless, participated in the conversations with obvious effort. Whatever happened that afternoon seemed to have drained his energy, still he taunted Tony for refills and added remarks to whatever was told. His cape was tossed on the couch, the bright red sticking out like a sore thumb, looking smaller than Steve remembered it. The rest of the armor suffered the same fate as the hours went by, eventually Thor relaxed into the couch wearing nothing but a thin undershirt and his pants. His body, the muscles sharp lines under the fabric, would have been mesmerizing if his face didn’t look so tired and worn, forcing the captain to watch it intently throughout the night. Steve had noticed that Mjölnir was still close by, she rested at Thor’s feet and every now and then he involuntarily reached for it, squeezing the handle briefly as to assure himself it was still there. As troubled as Steve felt about it he would not allow himself to dwell on it tonight, not when the calm had finally settled on Thor’s face.

One by one they excused themselves, Natasha gave Thor a chaste peck on the cheek and Steve a pointed look before she graciously walked out of the common room; Clint grabbed a box of cookies from the cupboard before turning around and declaring good night. Tony lingered a little longer but after a while the alcohol took over and he yawned as he left, waving them goodbye with an unsteady hand. 

Here, when the silence finally filled the room, Steve sat down next to Thor and pondered if he should say anything. The thoughtful demigod stared out of the window, the drizzle of rain feeding the large drops of water on it. They had sat together in silence before, there were nights when neither of them felt like sleeping and they would end up here or on the roof, deeply inhaling the fresh air. Occasionally Thor would tell stories about his travels in Vanaheim, each story sounding more ominous than the other. For Steve they sounded like fairy tales, something he would have considered ludicrous a long time ago but was made vivid and real by Thor’s words. It was probably during one of those nights that, unwillingly and very unexpectedly, the seed was planted for his affection towards the demigod. It had grown into something Steve was unsure and scared of but it was there, nagging and pulling at his heart, the reason why after all this time the only place that felt right was here, next to Thor.

When he finally decided to get some rest Thor followed him, grabbing his belongings along the way. In the elevator to their floor the captain remained silent as Thor slumped against the wall to steady himself. He closed his eyes, clearly fatigued and when the elevator opened Steve threw his arm around Thor’s waist, walked with him to his quarters. He didn’t leave when Thor undressed himself but lingered uncomfortably on the balcony and stared discreetly into the dark until he heard the large body slump down on the bed. The blond was already sleeping, the unruly hair stuck to his temples. Steve nudged the sheets over the broad shoulder, unable to resist ghosting his fingers over the soft golden skin, before settling into one of the sofas. 

Steve finished the remainder of his coffee, the bathrobe had finally given way to the chilly air and the cold became unpleasant. He decided to not wake Thor and get some breakfast, his stomach twitching in agreement. One last look at Manhattan and he turned to move inside, oblivious to the black car stopping in front of the Tower entrance. 

*

Instead of a hearty breakfast Steve found Bruce, Tony and Clint in the spacious kitchen, all seated at the large table and all glaring at Fury who was speaking in a calm but persistent voice.

‘ This is a very, very, VERY bad idea Tony!'

‘ Ah! Captain! ‘ Tony ignored Fury and beamed at Steve with a face that was anything but sincerely friendly, voice dripping with sarcasm. ‘ You’re just in time for the last episode of Look- Who- Is Butting- In- When- He- Isn’t –Supposed-To, starring the one and only Nick Badass Fury! Have a seat and enjoy the show! ‘

The captain ignored the theatrical invitation and faced the S.H.I.E.L.D commander.

‘ What is this about? ‘

It seemed as if Fury was carefully formulating his words in his head.

‘ I did not come here as your enemy even though some of you may think that .’

He threw a telling look at Tony who loudly chewed his cereal, attempting to block him out. 

‘ We know what happened in Boston ‘ Fury continued, now addressing Steve directly ‘ I need to know if it will be a problem. We need to know if it will be unsafe. ’

‘ It won’t be ‘ Steve practically spat and he sensed that at the table the others were nodding in agreement.

From the corner of his eye Steve had seen Natasha enter, grabbing a piece of toast off the counter and sliding onto the bar. She was glaring at Fury with what could only be described as impatient disdain, and the agent had noticed it too, grunting at their collective scowls.

‘ Look..’ he continued ‘ I know you are a team, hell I even made you one. But if this thing gets out of control – ‘

‘ You mean Thor? ‘ Steve cut him off, his voice shaking from anger.

‘ No, I mean the mini disasters that happen around him.’

‘ We will deal with it.’ The captain took a step back and crossed his arms in front of him.

‘ Together ‘ Bruce added, who was lovingly patted on the shoulder by Tony because of it.

There was no point in arguing, Steve could see Fury debating with himself if he should but it seemed that between Steve’s firm stance, Tony’s mocking attitude and Clint’s defying glare he would not win them over any time soon. Natasha simply gave him a short shake of her head, indicating to not start with her and that was enough for Fury to walk back towards the door. He gave Steve a last long look, the silent warning evident in his eye before disappearing into the hallway. They all waited until the sound of the car moved away before they started piling the food on their plates. There was a mountain of pancakes stacked on his plate by the time Thor joined them, the size of it earning them a warm and genuine laugh.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: science is not my forte, I hope I didn't make any big mistakes in this :/

When it comes to bragging there are two things Tony is allowed to boast about; one was his brain and the other the lab and research facilities he put that brain to work in. They were clearly built to provide a comfortable area to do various tasks in them without affecting the outside world and Bruce was always grateful when he could hang around and just do whatever he wanted. He rarely admitted it to the others but the truth was that he felt at home in it, the calming white area of the lab and the crisp clean utensils had a soothing effect on his mind. Of course he loved the company of his friends and sometimes he wondered if he wasn’t overly reclusive. But as he walked into the spacious lab, greeted by the familiar led lights of the machines starting he couldn’t help but sigh in content. 

After breakfast he found himself checking the reports of the scans Jarvis had performed the other day, fascinated by the readings. He expected Tony to come down to the lab any moment and when the elevator doors had opened he was surprised to see Thor was stepping out of the glass box.

‘ Doctor, am I disturbing you? ‘ the demigod spoke, his voice soft and deep.

‘ No, no, of course not! Come in ‘ and Banner scooted out from behind his laptop.

Thor looked much better today, evidently food and some rest had helped his appearance a great deal. He was still a tad pale in the face, his eyes slightly puffy and lined at the corners; his walk was not back to its usual bouncy rhythm but the slumped and beaten posture from the day before was gone. Shoulders were straight again and his movements flowed elegantly as he closed the space between them. The blond hair was tied in a loose ponytail and clad in a pair of very plain sweatpants and black shirt he almost looked like a human. He appeared relaxed and Bruce was relieved to see the blond smile warmly at him before taking a seat on one of the stools next to the desk.

‘ I told you several times before, you should stop with the “doctor” thing. ‘ Bruce winked ‘ It makes me feel old and grey.’

‘ I will try to remember ‘ Thor chuckled. He pointed at the screen where bright red and blue dots were swirling in a circular motion.

‘ Can you explain what… caused the storm? ‘ He sounded hesitant, as if expecting something terrible to be said.

‘ Well..’ and Bruce scraped his throat ‘ it seems there was an anomaly created when you traveled to Earth.’ He placed his index finger on the screen, indicating the thick yellow lines that were on either side of the swirling dots.

‘ This is Bifrost. We have a file on its movements, heat readings that sort of thing. It’s a constant flow of.. well, energy. Particles moving at extreme speed. And this ‘ his finger lingered around the red and blue dots ‘ Red is electricity, blue is oxygen. ‘ 

Thor was slowly nodding at the explanation and Bruce waited for more questions which didn’t come. He searched his brains for a good formulated sentence.

‘ It’s definitely not the Bifrost. Compared to the readings that S.H.I.E.L.D has on it and the ones Tony.. gathered ‘ and he frowned at the silly description ‘ it is always very constant. The electricity and oxygen was pulled from the air around it inside, causing the disturbance in the center.’

Thor was no longer nodding, his eyes were fixed at the screen where the dots kept swirling and twisting.

‘ So I have caused this. ‘

Bruce wanted to deny it but he knew there was no point. He remembered how he felt , a long time ago, when he discovered the ugly and very green truth. It was a devastating feeling, knowing you have caused destruction, he didn’t wish it upon anyone, let alone on someone he considered a friend. A kind being above anything else. If only then there had been people around him that could explain and help him he would be in a much better emotional state.

‘ I am not sure, yet. We could run some tests if you want, see if we can find something. ‘

Thor nodded absentmindedly and got up from his stool, face worried and solemn. 

‘ Or..’ and Bruce paused a moment, unsure of what he was saying was going to be well received ‘ sometimes it helps to just talk about it.’

The tall blond did not say anything to that, instead he paced slowly around the area, throwing looks on machinery in the room.

‘ I know I am not that kind of doctor but I am told I’m a good listener.’ Bruce wanted to avoid a sheepish smile and failed miserably.

For a good minute he was sure that Thor would never speak up again, when the demigod turned towards him, sadness written all over his face, blue eyes hazy from welling tears. Bruce could see he was trying to hold them back, the large fists rubbed the moisture away and Thor sighed deeply. 

‘ I find it difficult to – explain ‘ he started and Bruce immediately regretted his comment. He didn't know if it was a good idea to scratch at a fresh wound like this but perhaps it would help. Perhaps it was needed to touch it and go through it, to start healing.

Thor paused for a moment, brows furrowed, staring into space.

‘ I should be accustomed to loss. It is inevitable. There can be no war without it. But in battle you know that dangers will come your way, you expect your friends to fall, you expect to be taken yourself. You hope and wish that it never reaches your home, your family…’ 

He trailed off, voice heavy from emotion and Bruce felt uncomfortable watching the demigod break apart like this. His mind raced with words of comfort and they all seemed unfitting to be spoken, not good enough or strong enough to make a difference.

‘ I should have protected them.. ‘ Thor spat, the words resonated harsh in the quiet air of the lab.

‘ I should have kept her from harm..’

His hands balled into fists again, knuckles as white as the tiles on the pristine floor, veins rising to the surface and crawling up his arms. Bruce felt his nervousness rise and scolded himself for being so edgy in a moment like this. He needed desperately to keep calm and stood up, determined to reach out and help his friend in any way that was needed. Before he could say anything, before he even took the first step around him the room started to buzz. The screens were hissing and one by one the images faded, indicating that something had fried them from the inside. Slowly the tables and desk chairs, the two stools they had occupied and the petri dishes on the workbench started to rattle. 

He shot a worried look at Thor but the demigod had closed his eyes and was breathing heavily, tears streaming down and falling from the scruffy square jaw.   
Glass beakers and bottles started to break all around them, test tubes fell and shattered on the floor. The air grew thick and heavy, Bruce could feel the gushes against him. For a brief moment he panicked and wanted to run away, try to hide from the chaos that was starting to stir in the lab. Instead he darted for the door and hit the red button on the right, causing sturdy thick metal plates to shoot up from the floor and cover the walls on all sides, closing them in a metallic solid cage. He turned around and waited for the inevitable to happen, prepared to do what was necessary.


	5. Chapter 5

The monstrous sandwich on his plate looked so appealing that Clint mentally patted himself on the back at the genius construction of it. He probably would have added one more layer if it wasn’t for Natasha’s scowling ‘you-are-such-a-pig’ look, and in hindsight it was for the best. As he pushed the top down carefully already some of the meat was slipping out from under the bread slices, accompanied by drops of ketchup and a piece of tomato. He hovered the monstrosity over the plate and bit down, expecting it to fall apart completely. When it didn’t he just grinned at Natasha’s horrified face and chewed with enthusiasm, obscene noises and all.

‘ I have changed my mind ‘ Natasha scrunched her noise at the sounds ‘ I’ll just have a coffee.’

Clint chuckled around a mouth full of sandwich and wiped his hands on one of the kitchen towels before turning for the biggest mug in the cupboard. He had just found it when something rattled the building; the mugs and glasses right in front of him danced on the shelve. 

‘ What the …’ 

The rattle stopped and for a second or two everything was quiet .

He turned to face Natasha who stared at the ceiling, scrutinizing the lamps that were swaying above the table.

‘ You don’t think-‘

Her words got cut off by a loud two-toned siren, the shrieking kind that blasted through their eardrums. After the first tone the rattle had returned, the building was positively shaking now; the cups and plates on the dinner table moved, scooting fractions of inches in all directions.

‘ Earthquake?? ‘ he yelled at Natasha but she shook her head, glared at him with slightly petrified eyes.

‘ Worse! ‘ and she jumped to her feet. 

The alarm was blaring at an almost impossible volume and they darted out into the hallway, nearly colliding with a rugged looking Tony.

‘ Problem! Big ass problem! Gigantic fucking problem! ‘ he yelled at them, a wild look in his eyes.

‘ What the hell is going? ‘ Natasha screamed, voice breaking from the force.

‘ JARVIS!? ‘ 

Tony had barely finished calling the A.I. when the alarm was turned down a few notches and the clear metallic voice could be heard above them. 

‘ Level 5 hazard in the lab Sir.’

The look on Tony’s face was telling, Clint saw the panic creep into every feature and his eyes grew wide. 

‘ What is a level 5 hazard Tony? ‘ he snarled at the billionaire. Tony jumped into a sprint and Natasha followed suit, leaving Clint without an answer. He shook his head in disbelief and in no time he had caught up with them, racing past the elevator towards the stairs. The stomping of their feet resonated on the heavy stairs and in the stairway, where the noise was less overbearing, he finally managed to shout at Stark again.

‘ Tony! Level 5? ‘ he boomed loudly as they made their way past the different floors.

‘ Banner’s BFF is hazard Level 4, you do the math! ‘ Tony yelled back, working his way down as fast as he could. 

Clint couldn’t help but exchange a look with Natasha as she glanced up to him, fiery hair dancing from her swift bouncing on the steps. The stairs didn’t seem to end and when they finally reached the lab floor, Tony practically choking on his breath and Natasha’s face slightly shiny from the sweat Clint wondered what on earth they were supposed to do next.   
The hallway seemed empty at first glance but ahead, in front of the solid heavy plate that covered the laboratory door stood the Captain, his fingers tracing the sides to find the edges. 

*  
 _  
Cold.  
His blood felt cold in his body, the stinging in his veins was unbearable.   
Waves of pain washed over him, each one carrying a different emotion that pounded on his insides.   
Guilt.. Sorrow…Hopelessness…  
He could not control the terror as it made its way to his heart, could not control the feeling of it being torn to pieces.  
He was drowning in the horror of images, misty and red, floating around his brain.  
Brother…  
Mother…  
As faint as a whisper he heard words that barely reached his consciousness, words spoken by a harsh raspy voice.  
THOR STAY HERE  
_

*

‘ You are telling me there is no way to get in there? ‘

Steve was in a slight rage as he paced in front of the metal plate, fists balled and just itching to take a swing at the thick plate that was obscuring the door to the lab. The building shook around them as the rest was mimicking his earlier efforts, Clint feeling the sides of the plate and Natasha on the floor peering to find possible slits in the construction. Tony was doing his own nervous pacing, face twisted in concentration, a frantic hand racking through his thick unruly hair.

‘ I did not say that! I said it would be a disaster if we opened that at this time.’

As if it wanted to put emphasis on his words the tower trembled with one particularly hard shudder, the bigger force tipping one of the plant pots in the hallway.

‘ Well we have to do something, this place is going to be in shambles any minute now ‘ Clint offered through gritted teeth as his fingers now ghosted over the smooth surface of the plate. ‘ And if it doesn’t we’ll be up to our necks in S.H.I.E.L.D agents.’

The Captain stood still for a moment, stared at the metallic sheen while his mind raced with scenario’s. They all involved chaos and Thor with blood everywhere and he had difficulty focusing on a possible solution. It was impossible to assess the situation like this and it seemed Tony had read his mind.

‘Jarvis! I need eyes and ears in there! ‘

A led display shot from the ceiling, showing what seemed to be live video surveillance footage of the laboratory.

‘I will check if I can improve the audio Sir. ‘

There was little to be improved; from what could be heard over the noise of the rattling building was the clashing and breaking of glass, sometimes a snap of cables and the clear crackling of electricity. The image snapped between static and a misty shots of the laboratory, debris floated into sight and blocked the view for a moment. In the short seconds that something was actually visible they saw Hulks contorted face, features sharpened by rage and panic. He was holding Thor’s limp body as around them a small hurricane was wrecking everything in sight. The audio was cracking up, they could only hear bits through the noise of wind and static inside.

THOR NO!

THOR STAY!

Steve swallowed hard, his heart was pounding at a frantic speed in his chest and with a dry mouth he snapped back at Tony, all resolve and desperation.

‘ Blast it ‘ he panted at Stark, almost breathless from the fear ‘ blast it and grab him, get him the hell out of here! You can do that right? ‘

Tony’s eyes were fixed on the screen for a second before his gaze dropped to the soldiers face. 

‘ If the wind is so strong, I don’t know Cap..’ 

‘ You need to get him out of here Tony ‘ Steve screamed. ‘ You need to get in there and fly him out and away from here! ‘ 

His eyes bore into Tony’s with a pleading determination and Stark finally moved. As the parts of his Iron Man suit flew to him and one by one covered his body Steve turned back to the screen, breathing heavily.

‘ Can they hear me in there? ‘ he asked Tony but it was the cold voice of Jarvis that answered.

‘ There is an intercom in the lab Sir, I can connect you with it.’ 

The soldier gingerly stepped forward and swallowed hard, unsure how loud he should speak. 

‘ HULK! I know you can hear me buddy! It’s me, Steve!’

The static was still flashing over the screen but Steve could see the Hulk tilting his head in every direction, clearly surprised at the voice he heard but couldn’t locate. Steve hoped and prayed that he wouldn’t make it worse, that he wouldn’t scare the Hulk into doing something crazy or dangerous. The green giant creature was still squeezing Thor in his arms but his face was a distorted mess of raw emotion, anger, fear and everything in between. 

‘ Hulk, stay still ok? Tony is coming in! Don’t hit anything, don’t throw anything. Stay put! ‘

Steve felt his eyes sting from the tension and his skin burned, nerves so on edge he could hardly breathe. He couldn’t take his gaze off the screen, even though the sight was horrifying, the Hulks roars were heard again over the speaker. 

Tony stood before the plate now, they could hear the suit charging with more power. The captain waved at Clint and Natasha to follow him, when they had moved back to the far right Tony braced himself and blasted a big hole in the metal plate. He flew inside, a deafening explosion was heard over the rumble of the building, hard gushes of wind shot from the laboratory into the hallway. Steve jumped up and sprinted towards the hole, expecting the worst and fearing what they would find. On the laboratory floor they watched the Hulk give way for Bruce’s much smaller frame, he was shaking, centered in what could only be described a mess of paper, glass and broken machinery. Natasha sank to her knees beside him and threw an arm around their scared friend; Clint and Steve walked slowly inside and stopped in front of what used to be the plate that protected the window. Outside, high in the clouded sky, the Iron Man suit was flying away from them at top speed, the storm and thunder following it to the horizon.


	6. Chapter 6

The minutes came and went, agonizingly slow.

They had no idea how long they had been in the lab; at some point Natasha had gotten up and gently placed a white lab coat over Bruce’s shoulders, staring with the rest outside the broken window while she carefully folded it around his arms. Outside, mixed with the sounds of numerous people, the wailing police sirens were closing in on the Tower.   
Unsure what to do Clint had taken his position on the edge of the window, observed the sky like only he could, eyes shooting in all directions as he scanned the now clear blue patch above.

‘ Where do you think they went? ‘

His question lingered among them like a cloud of poison, making the air tense and heavy. Nobody said a word when the sirens had finally stopped below and several police officers ushered people away from the area with debris, some moving in through the entrance of the Tower.  
Steve watched it happen as if he was observing a bad movie, not really registering the people, the broken glass and chunks of metal on the pavement, only a little aware of what were clearly S.H.I.E.L.D cars turning the corner. His blood was boiling in his limbs, fear choking him and he took several deep breaths before he turned around, hoping he could focus, hoping he could think of something.

‘Jarvis..’ he spoke and his voice, so frail and so goddamn shaky it immediately annoyed him.

‘ Yes Captain.’

‘ Can you locate Tony…’ he asked, pausing if he should mention Thor and choosing not to, afraid the name would completely break him.

‘ I have the coordinates Sir, but I must inform you –‘ 

‘ No time ‘ Steve hushed the A.I. , already on his way out , determined not to waste a second.

‘ Sir, I insist. Mr. Stark is on his way to Pennsylvania.’

Clint’s jaw simply dropped at the statement, Natasha frowned and Bruce finally stood up, expression as surprised as it was confused.

‘ What..?’ Steve questioned, feeling his heart drop.

‘ Speed has been at Mach 1 since 10 min Sir.’ 

Jarvis shared his knowledge efficiently as usual; Steve however only was aware of the implications it had.

_So far away, can’t take the jet, we will never catch up, never…._

His body shook from the tension and suppressed anxiety, he forced himself to breathe slowly. Natasha stepped firmly towards him, her eyes fixing on his as she grabbed his shoulders.

‘ Take the jet. Just try to get there as fast as you can ‘ she spoke fiercely, turning to Clint and Bruce her features were all resolve and firmness ‘ We need to stay here and keep S.H.I.E.L.D from doing something stupid.’

She threw him a last encouraging look and darted towards the door. Bruce nodded without a word before completely pulling on the lab coat, Clint followed him into the hallway just as silent.  
As Steve made his way into the stairway his mind was racing, panic slightly pushed aside with the goal. He would take the jet and just get a move on, there was no other way. He would make sure it is safe to land and he could sprint the last bit if he had to.

_Just be safe, just be safe…_

The mantra was buzzing through his brain as he moved up the stairs, finally finding himself in the hall of their floor. In the back was the second elevator to the last floor and the roof, he was already mentally doing the checklist before something caught his eye.

Thor’s door was still slightly ajar, left open that morning when he had made his way down to the lab. Steve saw the corner of the comfortable bed and walked towards it, not believing what he was seeing.  
Mjölnir was laying on the soft sheets, the dark metal shiny, the handle with the markings looking much more delicate than it really was.

Why was it still here? 

Steve moved toward it, slowly the light humming that was coming from the hammer reached his ears and within two steps he was towered over it. He suddenly remembered Thor saying it to him, some time ago:

_She will not come to me when I am not well.._

There was a slight crackle in the air when Steve gently moved his fingers towards it, eventually placing his palm on the large head. The metal felt cold as ice but when he touched it he could feel the tingle of electricity crawling over his skin.

Only once before he had touched Mjölnir, and it was by mistake, a mistake that had surprised Thor immensely and had earned him a good month of both admiration and joking from the rest. After that the god had regarded him with such different eyes that it made Steve squirm. It was after that moment, that crazy stupid moment somewhere in the outskirts of Alaska, fighting some strange demonic beasts, that he had picked up the hammer and swung it to protect Natasha. After that, somehow everything had changed between Thor and him.  
Mjölnir’s metal glistened from the few rays of sun that hit it, a crazy thought worked its way into the forefront of Steve’s scattered brain. 

_Thor could fly with it, maybe .._

His hand moved slowly towards the handle, his fingers curled and grabbed it almost gently. The humming continued its soothing monotone sound when he pulled and lifted it without any effort. Mesmerized by both the sound and the sudden warmth on his skin he couldn’t help but bring it closer, his eyes grazed the smooth surface of the head, flickering over the runes and markings. Thor talked to it, maybe he should too. As Steve brought the hammers head closer to his lips he felt silly and tense at the same time. In all his years on this earth, even after everything they had been through and everything he had experienced, some things remained curious and strange, unbelievable and foreign. The thought of his friends, the thought of what could possibly be happening at this very moment, was pulling on his insides and without hesitation he whispered.

_He needs you.._

The hammer hummed louder now and Steve could feel it shaking in his hand. He didn’t need more convincing and ran outside, making his way towards the roof. Mjölnir bounced lightly in his clenched fist, its weight as light as a feather would have been, and by the time Steve reached the top of the roof it was shooting sparks around his stiff fingers. 

It took all of Steve’s bravery to stand at the edge of the roof of Stark Tower but remembering Thor’s movements he slowly started to swing the hammer in circles.  
Please don’t let me fall , he thought intently and with a last swing of Mjölnir he was dragged up and away at an impossible speed.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :( Sorry, I feel this is not up to par but yeah...

The rustle of the pouring rain registered in Tony’s brain and he blinked, once, twice. Eventually he decided to keep them open, wondering for a fraction of a second why he was looking at practically dark clouds. Then he remembered and realized: he was laying on the floor, the splashes of water were hitting his mask because he had difficulty getting up.

The scans in his visor were showing that everything was recharging and like so often before, he wished he could do the same, just lick a battery and feel shiny and new again. But he couldn’t, he had a body that didn’t always cooperate and at this very moment he had trouble making it do what he wanted which was sit straight and not have his vision blurred by rain. Aside from a splitting headache all his limbs felt like he had crashed into several tanks, by the time he raised himself on his elbows every nerve was stinging and painfully present. 

It was nice to see his vital signs show up in neatly stacked numbers with no apparent damage to his organs so he looked around, disoriented and vision still slightly blurred. There were trees, a few smashed into chunks and he remembered crashing into one a while ago, recalling the exact spot where his shoulder had hit it. Suddenly he remembered why he had crashed in the first place and he turned his head, looking for Thor. 

The god was a few feet away from him , slumped down on his knees on muddy ground while the rain drops pounded relentlessly on him, splashes jumped up from the pools of water up on his jeans. His golden hair, thick strands instead of the usual shiny waves, was plastered around his skull and from what Tony could see covered most of his face.

‘ Heyyy… Shakespearree..’ Tony wheezed as he pulled himself up some more and opened the mask a little, breathing in the cold air.

‘ I know what you’re thinking ‘ he continued as he scrambled to his feet‘ and yes, I admit it was not one of my best landings. But hey, we’re still alive right? ‘ 

He scooted over gingerly towards the blonde but Thor didn’t reply. He was staring at the ground in front of him, his face no longer twisted in agony but a solemn look of complete sadness. A few times he blinked the heavy raindrops that clung to his lashes away, the only sign that he was in fact alive.  
Tony let himself drop beside him, turned to look at the god and awkwardly punched him softly on the shoulder.

‘ Yeah, you’re right.. It’s a fucking mess but truth be told, it was not my fault this time.. well not completely. I knew I should have upped the coating just a little bit during the last-‘

‘ Tony..’

Thor’s voice was raspy but clear, the rain was falling harder than ever but Tony could still hear him, the deep rumbling sound with a sharp edge. 

‘ Thank you..’ the god eyed him for a second and Stark just nodded.

‘ Any time. ‘

They sat together for a while, water soaking Thor completely and by the time Tony felt strong enough to try and stand some more there was so much mud around them that it sucked on his suit slightly as he tried to get up. He turned left and right, unsure where to head next when a familiar voice rang in his ear.

‘ Good to see you again Sir ‘ Jarvis noted, making Tony sigh in relief and grin a little.

‘ Good to be seen again Jarvis. Everything up and running I assume? ‘

‘ Yes Sir, power restored to 100 %. There is damage to some of the –‘

‘ Yeah, I’m painfully aware of the damage ‘ Tony cut the A.I. off ‘ Can I fly again? ‘

‘ Regular speed only Sir.’

‘ Alright, fine ‘ the billionaire sighed and turned to Thor once again. ‘ Ready to go Blondie? ‘

Thor simply shook his head, the water now streaming in a steady flow from his soaked hair, down his jaw. 

‘ I am not.. coming with you ‘ and he faced Tony, the blue irises moist and foggy.

‘ What? Don’t start with this nonsense now, I have a splitting head ache and I’m incapable of any sort of debate ‘ Tony snapped.

The blonde just moved his gaze back to the ground and Stark's exasperated sigh was loud and drawn out, hissing along with the sounds of the rain. For a moment Tony thought that the god would come with him as the tall body rose from the ground but Thor didn’t walk towards him. Instead he tilted his head, eyes suddenly fixed on the clouds above them and the raindrops fell hard on his forehead. He seemed to ponder on something and when he looked down to face Tony again something that resembled calmness could be seen in them.

‘ I have to leave ‘ he spoke barely loud enough to be heard ‘ it is not safe. I should have known, should have realized it would be a mistake. Please tell the others I’m sorry..’

The drops formed streams on the red and gold suit and was threatening to flow into his mask but Tony didn’t notice. He took a few steps towards the god, but before he could say anything rash and undoubtedly very cruel Steve’s voice came loudly through from their left:

‘ You tell them yourself! ‘

*

Thor visibly cringed at the sight of his friend and Steve moved closer to them, throwing Tony a look that he hoped was both warning him and apologetic. If it wasn’t for the curtain of rain this would have brought back fond memories of their first meeting, including smashed trees and a dented Iron Man suit. But the water seeping from the heavens blocked all happy thoughts and was a constant reminder that this was anything but a good situation.

‘ Tony, can you give us a minute? Please? ‘

The billionaire shot the Captain a worried look but nodded, stepping away from them with the squishy sound of metal boots disappearing in the mud. 

‘ I’ll be over here, drowning. Take your time ‘ and he waddled away trying to keep his balance on the uneven soil.

As Steve turned to Thor he raked his brain for words to say but the god now regarded him with such sorrow in his eyes that it was impossible to find any. When he spoke Thor took a small step away from him, making Steve’s heart tear up at the sight of it.

‘ Steven, I have to go… I can not control this, any of it ‘ and he waved at the sky that turned pitch black. The gesture immediately started a familiar rumble in the clouds, the sound of thunder was still weak but present. It made Thor cringe again and he looked at the Captain with pleading eyes.

‘ I do not wish to hurt anybody… ’ 

The tall blonde, usually so majestic with his words and demeanor, released a sob and Steve surged towards him, ignoring the thunder growing louder and the crackling in the air completely, his eyes brimming with panic. He grabbed the other by the shoulders.

‘ We will deal with this! You’re not hurting anybody! ‘ he yelled at his friend, squeezing the hard flesh tightly with his grasp. When Thor didn’t respond Steve felt his fear boil up inside him, tried to block out and ignore the thunder growing louder. 

The cries of the god were now shaking Thor’s body completely and he sank down, his knees hitting the cold wet floor with a loud thud. Steve fell down with him, unwilling to lose his grasp of the trembling shoulders, keeping himself focused on that face that was made unfamiliar by the twisted features.

‘ Look at me! ‘ he yelled at Thor, horribly reminded of the day before.

As Thor forced himself to look at the blue eyes of the Captain Steve was painfully aware he maybe won’t find the right words. But he had to try.

‘ You can’t leave. You can’t! We need you here.’

Thor feebly shook his head in denial but Steve inched closer , his hold on the strong shoulders so tight it was burning his muscles.

‘ You can’t! ‘ he repeated, voice loud over the noises of the oncoming storm.

‘ We take care of each other! That’s what a team does, that’s what friends do. I am telling you, we WILL deal with this! ‘

In a desperate attempt to make Thor understand and register what he was saying Steve pulled him close, wrapped himself around the broad frame, squeezing with all his might. He could feel the tension in the god’s muscles, the tight embrace had him squishing his friend so close that Steve could whisper in his ear.

‘ No one gets left behind, understand? No one… We are here for you, just… just let us help you.. let _me_ help you.’

Without thinking, without a moment hesitation or allowing himself to talk himself out of it Steve placed his shaking lips in the crevice of Thor’s neck, the kiss as desperate as his pleading.  
He felt Thor’s arms rise and the strong hands of the god inched around the Captains waist, unsure and trembling. For one agonizing second Steve was sure he would get grabbed and pushed away. Instead the hands moved up his back and pulled him closer, their bodies now completely clinging to each other. The soft cries still rippled through the large body of his friend and all Steve could concentrate on was the sound of his own voice.

‘ It will be ok…It will be ok…’


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have finally finished it.  
> It leaves room for more later but for now this is it.
> 
> Music to accompany this:  
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SUiANNiBMk
> 
> Thank you for sticking around and for all the love and kudo's, you warm this old soul with them ^^ <3  
> Thundershield 4lyfe!

‘ Please state your name and your current rank.’

‘ You have got to be kidding me right? ‘

‘ I’m sorry Rogers but you know how this works.’

‘ Fine… Steven Joseph Rogers, S.H.I.E.L.D rank Alpha A1, Captain…’

‘ Current residence? ‘

‘ Stark-.. Avengers Tower.’

‘ For the record, do you understand the accusations as they have been read to you? ‘

‘ Yes, I understand just fine.. ‘

‘ Before we ask you to give your report about the events on April 2nd do you understand the implications should your testimony be found faulty? ‘

‘ Perfectly.’

‘ Very well then. According to you, what exactly happened? ‘

*

Time is a strange concept; the best moments seem to come and go in a blink of an eye while the worst would drag on, feeling like an eternity.

The sun was setting on Manhattan and Steve sighed deeply, closed his eyes, and chewed his stew. It had been a long time since he was this tired, actually since he had dozed off after the battle of New York while they were eating. Muscles that were usually able to lift impossibly heavy things were now protesting as he brought the spoon to his mouth, long pauses between the gestures. His metabolism was forcing him to not give in and to keep eating, protesting through his stomach that kept growling even after his second serving. He would get some rest later, after a hot shower and more food, definitely more food.

Beside him Pepper was filling Bruce’s plate with the roasted potatoes, listening intently to the chit-chat that as of late always accompanied their meals. Despite of everything that had happened, the wreckage of the lab and the invasion of a raging Fury with several agents in tow, despite their long trip back and heated discussions on the way home, they would never fail to fall back into that familiar pattern. She gave him a warm smile while she filled his bowl for a third time since they sat down, accepting his ‘thank you m’am’ with a wink. Across the table Natasha was reduced to her solemn self but she managed to at least offer soothing words to Bruce who was still shook up from the brutality the agents had displayed towards him. Nobody glanced at the empty seat on the right, not even Steve who continued eating, thoughts in chaos.

*

The sun was not back in full force but it was at least visible when Steve opened his eyes and found himself still holding on to Thor’s body. The god had not let him go either, bulking arms covered Steve’s rib cage all around and the blond head rested on his shoulder, breathing slow and even. The chill of the ground was creeping into Steve’s knees, calves growing slightly sore. As the soldier darted his eyes all around, scanning the landscape he wondered if he should let go, try to get up and stand. But when he moved to release his gripping hands from Thor’s back the god just whispered:

‘ Don’t ..’

Unsure and frightened of escalating the situation Steve squeezed the other man tightly again, his face disappearing in the curve of Thor’s neck. A content hum rose from the god chest and his voice sounded a bit stronger the second time around.

‘ We should remain like this.’

‘ Thor, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to..’ Steve started but too afraid to actually say it out loud he simply sighed into the warmth of Thor’s skin. He tensed up at the memory what he had done, the sensation of the kiss still present on his lips. 

Thor had felt Steve’s arms strain and he loosed the embrace, releasing his hold on Steve only enough to face him, eyes dangerously close. A million things raced through Steve’s mind, how he would apologize again, he would brush it off and consider it a desperate gesture for a friend. Nothing would ever fix it but Steve would not allow it to ruin this friendship. It was comfort, he would explain it as such and Thor would accept it, they would be reasonable about it.

But there was nothing reasonable about the gods tentative smile, or his hands that crawled away from the Captain's back and up towards Steve’s face. The electrifying blue and that smile, Steve held his breath, scared of what was happening even though his heart was disagreeing with his fear, screaming in delight at the god’s touch.

‘ Do not apologize for what is wanted ‘ Thor muttered and just like that his lips crashed on the captains with unrelenting force. 

The warmth of his mouth seared the delicate skin on Steve’s own, he felt it spiral through his nerves and touch every atom in his body. His breath hitched as Thor claimed his lips, sucking on the bottom one, a soft brush of the gods tongue asking for attention. And Steve was helpless against it, it stirred a hunger in him he thought long forgotten. As their tongues met and melted around each other, their hands clasped their necks, forgetting everything else. The soldier moaned at the sensations, feeling more and more alive at every twist and turn of their lips. By the time they broke apart, lips swollen and red from the heat Thor’s eyes glistened with new energy, smile warmer than ever. Steve was panting, trying to think straight but all he could stutter at that moment was:

‘ I brought you your hammer.’ 

Thor chuckled before his hands were on Steve’s neck again, pulling him in.

*

Fury was squirming in his seat, clearly uncomfortable at the Captain’s words but trying to hide his unease.

‘ And that’s when Tony showed up with the Asgardian beside him.’ 

The soldier had explained everything in excruciating detail, stubborn and mad at the injustice of it all but resolved not to be cornered into saying something stupid.

‘ Tony has testified, and I quote : “this dude appeared next to me and asked to speak Thor at once. I argued it was not the right time but he was very convincing.” ‘ Fury read from the file in front of him.

‘ I wouldn’t know what Tony said ‘ Steve answered honestly.

The director regarded him for a moment, very aware of the Captains anger.

‘ You do realize that this is quite serious? You have disobeyed our order to stay put and you have struck an official representative of Asgard. You are lucky they didn’t send a fucking army at this point.’

Steve kept his face straight and calm as possible but the anger was winning ground.

‘ He took one of our own..’ he hissed through gritted teeth, making Fury sigh and shake his head.

‘ He took him home Captain. ‘ 

Every fiber of Steve’s being was screaming no but instead he stiffened his jaw more, deciding not to yell at the director. Seeing it was no use to continue Fury closed the dossier on the table, throwing a regretful look at the soldier.

‘ One month off-duty, three months on probation.’

As Steve got up without a word and just nodded stiffly Fury could only shake his head. The door knob already in hand Steve turned to face the director and scoffed at the man.

‘ Home is where your heart is director. At least for us who have one.’


End file.
